A Deeper Twilight
by Elysian Stars
Summary: Retelling of G.U.'s story, in an AU where The World is reality. A new breed of demon, AIDA, is spreading chaos amongst humanity, and Haseo has joined the secret fight against it. Will eventually be Haseo/Endrance.
1. Prologue

_Author's Notes: This is a project I've wanted to do for a long time, turning The World into a real place. All the internet/technology-based things have been replaced with magical/supernatural ones, and I'd like to more deeply explore The World's locations, mythology and characters as the story progresses. I hope you enjoy it, but if not then I'm always open to concrit. Thanks to my beta readers, Shinkirou Hana and Sorasusi._

**Prologue**

Haseo scanned the field, checked the number of bodies sprawled over bloodied grass and earth. Nine, ten? That accounted for everyone: all the bandits he'd taken out, plus the travellers they'd ambushed before he arrived on the scene (for no obvious reason; it didn't look like they'd had valuable goods). Bones broken, weapons smashed, nobody a threat anymore; he was the last one standing, with just a few bruises under his armour. Now, time for some questions.

The gang leader was a dark-skinned woman, collapsed but still conscious (hell, he knew _exactly_ how conscious she was; she'd tried a surprise attack on him moments before). He levelled his scythe at her, and asked, "Do you know Tri-Edge?"

"Tri-Edge?" she repeated, glaring up at him.

"He's a legendary warrior, or maybe a demon. They say he cuts his victims' souls right out of their bodies, leaves them in a state worse than death." It was more than legend or rumour, it was an ice-cold fact. And no matter how many times he repeated it in hard, emotionless tones, it still stirred a pang of hurt inside, a wound that couldn't heal over. But he dealt with it.

"What? Come on, don't tell me you believe that," the woman scoffed. She gave a sharp, hacking laugh, wiped her mouth on the back of her gauntlet and left a smear of blood on the metal. "It's a fairytale to frighten little kids! So I guess it makes sense you'd believe it – what are you, fourteen?" Haseo tensed, wondering if she'd be dumb enough to try another last-ditch attack. But she stayed put, just shooting him scathing looks.

"That's all you've got?"

"No way! You think you can go against me, the great Bordeaux, and just walk away like nothing happened?" Stupid woman. These people got together to spread some pointless misery, and they thought that made them _special_ somehow? They thought that made them _important?_ Haseo'd never heard of 'the great Bordeaux' before, and would be happy if he never did again.

She wasn't hiding any useful information, he decided, so there was no point letting things drag on. He spun the scythe around, smashed her bluntly over the head with its handle. She slumped to the ground. Not dead, probably, but not getting up anytime soon.

"…Yeah, I think I can," he added, with an unkind smirk. He'd been tormented enough by people like _her_ in his life; it was only natural to get a sense of satisfaction when the tables turned. He'd tried rising above stuff like this, petty violence and revenge, but that had gotten him nowhere, in the end. This was the only way to save Shino, he was convinced of it.

He had a dark, nagging feeling that she might be upset, to see him in this state, but tried to shove that out of his mind. Even if she would, it couldn't be helped.

He stalked past the bodies, away from this battlefield. One of Bordeaux's victims had survived, was kneeling over a friend and trying to wake him, a faint glow of healing magic around them. Well, that was a bonus. Haseo's main goal wasn't to be some knight in shining armour – he'd already failed on the shining part, anyway - but he didn't like seeing innocent people die. He cast a quick Repth in their direction, but didn't speak, and didn't stop walking.

* * *

><p>Atoli couldn't believe her luck. Things like this never happened to her - or if they did, she didn't hold onto them for long. But maybe this would be different. Maybe this time, it was okay to build her hopes up.<p>

She'd been at the waterfront when she met him. Not doing much, sitting in a quiet place where she wouldn't get in anyone's way (she was tired of being yelled at for getting in the way). Sometimes she brought scraps of food for the seagulls, but she'd made some canal workers angry last time she did that, because they thought the birds were pests. So today she'd just been sitting, amongst coarse coils of mooring rope and weather-softened wood. Gazing into the ocean, wondering what it would be like to fall, simply slip under quietly and dissolve. Just wondering. She didn't want to _die_, but… Nobody would miss her, if she wasn't here.

Then a voice interrupted her thoughts. A kind, refined voice, belonging to a man with eye-catching clothes and long green hair. He asked if she was okay there, all by herself. She'd burst into tears.

And now here she was, sitting in this lovely tea shop with low tables and red paper lanterns, feeling humbled and overwhelmingly grateful as he spoke to her. He belonged to an organisation called Moon Tree – surely she'd heard of it? She nodded, taking small sips of tea so it didn't burn her mouth, being careful not to spill it on the expensive-looking cushions. Everybody knew the name Moon Tree, but she hadn't known just how wonderful it was until he explained. They saw themselves as servants of the people, fighting tyranny and protecting the innocent. Wasn't it awful, how criminals got away with looting and murder in the wilderness, even menacing people on the streets of this very city? Mac Anu was meant to be the peak of human civilisation, so surely they should be above this. Moon Tree was dedicated to making this world a better, fairer place. Any reasonable soul should be able to support their goals.

Atoli nodded along, wanting to show how reasonable, and supportive, and interested she was. Moon Tree wasn't a charity, Sakaki explained, but a few small fees here and there were nothing, compared to the peace of mind they provided. Their organisation was expanding, gaining more followers all the time. Moon Tree was a warm and welcoming family, accepting people from all walks of life.

Every word he said was so sincere; she could tell he truly believed in this cause. By the time he asked if she'd like to join, she was completely sold. There was no pressure, he insisted, she didn't have to make a commitment until she'd met some other members, seen more of what they did firsthand. But she already knew she'd join. Something she could be a part of, somewhere she could be useful. She'd try her very best to win his approval, prove him right to have seen worth in her.

This was a day that would change her life, she knew it. Sakaki was the person she'd been waiting for.

* * *

><p>"And it's Endrance who emerges victorious, the lone wolf warrior with a deadly bite! Once again he's beaten the odds, taking another step closer to challenging the Emperor!" Amplified by some trick of magic, the announcer's voice echoed through the vast spaces of Demon Palace. All the latest technology was arrayed here to dazzle and impress; Endrance didn't know how those giant screens worked, or what caused the illusion that the arena was floating above a dark sea of mist. Those details didn't matter to him. He saw the ugliness in this place's core.<p>

He'd lived in Lumina Cross all his life, but never had much interest in the arenas. Many children nursed dreams of growing up to be a famous Emperor, but he'd never been like other children. Timid and shy, hating the sight of blood, flinching from the noise and explosive aggression. The few times he'd been dragged along there by his father, he'd cried and been scolded for it. Weak, pathetic little boy.

Well, his family would be happy now, he supposed. But that meant absolutely nothing. The screaming crowds meant nothing, as the announcer continued to sing his praises. The blood of fallen opponents meant nothing, spattering the hem of his white robe, collecting in the shallow grooves of designs that covered the arena floor. He tried to spill as little of it as possible, but it didn't upset him like it used to. He felt numb, indifferent to everything. Everything but Her.

She'd risen from the dead for him, and now he'd do all he could in return. Prove that he could protect Her from anything, become stronger than anyone else. This time he would be worthy. They'd never be parted again, not for a single moment.

He knew that some people would find it offensive, comparing someone of the Beast race to an actual cat. But the cat _was_ Her. He could feel it, the unique warmth of Her soul, the only thing that could soothe his loneliness. If this was the only form She could take to reconnect with him now, he couldn't complain. It didn't matter that She was smaller, that She couldn't speak, joke and tease him the way She used to. He always understood what She wanted, anyway. And right now She was proud of him, Her gentle purr music to his ears as she perched on his shoulder. So delicate and light, and so graceful that she never lost her balance or hindered him in battle. She was pleased he'd done this, felt safe with him. That was all he needed.

Soon he'd be Demon Palace Emperor, not for the sake of fame or prestige, the riches or fawning admirers. Only for Her, always.


	2. One: One Hundred Days Later

**One: One Hundred Days Later**

He wondered what she'd think of him now. From chasing lost legends with the Twilight Brigade, to being lauded as the Demon Palace Emperor – it was a major shift. Some people had faded from his life, while others shoved their way into it. A lot of blood spilled along the way.

She might congratulate him, wouldn't judge too harshly, but this wasn't the future she'd imagined for him, was it? Shino…

Haseo folded his arms, leaning on the balcony's edge. The sun had set while he was recovering from the fight, but the streets of Lumina Cross were a maze of lights, old-fashioned torch-flames jostling with modern steam-powered floodlights and magical lanterns, refusing to submit to shadow. Probably a lot of people out there were toasting to him tonight, getting drunk off their faces with money they'd won by betting on him. More than a few would be cursing him, instead (as if that was anything new). This was a lively, decadent city, one of those places that never really slept. Impressive, but he wasn't sure how much he actually liked it.

The night air felt refreshingly cool over his newest bruises and scrapes (they'd heal fast, the body's natural repairs sped along by spells). Endrance had been a tough opponent, might even have won if he wasn't too stuck-up to take allies into the arena. But he'd gone it alone, so Haseo had his crown now. He had no idea what Endrance would be doing tonight.

The sound of knocking made him turn, step back into the room. As hotels went, this was far from the best, but decent enough. Silabus and Atoli had their own separate rooms, because Haseo refused to share; they'd only drive him crazy. They'd be out of here soon anyway, back home to Mac Anu. They'd just needed a temporary place close to the arena, to make sure they never missed their tournament matches.

More knocking.

"What is it?" Haseo called, ill-temperedly.

"We have some deliveries in reception for you," called a voice through the doors. Must be one of the hotel staff. They had a sugary, overly-polite tone Haseo'd never heard before, now they were addressing an Emperor.

"Deliveries?"

"Congratulatory gifts, from people who saw your battle."

"Oh. Get rid of them, I don't care." He wasn't interested in presents from arena groupies, or anything so dumb as that (though he wondered how they knew where he was staying). Maybe Silabus could put them in Shop Acorn.

"But-"

"Leave me alone."

Silence from the other side. At least the staff knew better than to push the buttons of a new arena champion. Celebrity status didn't really sit well with Haseo. True, he'd kind of had it anyway, but being the 'Terror of Death' tended to make anyone smart avoid him. Which was exactly what he wanted.

Up until he was fifteen, he'd been a total nobody. He didn't run away from home, exactly, just drifted and was never brought back. Mac Anu wasn't so hard to survive in; it was warm most of the year, and in winter hundreds of heavy-duty steam-pipes offered places to shelter, made sure the canals never iced over. There were always people at the markets, in the mercenary district and down at the harbour, who needed odd jobs doing, fetching and carrying and guarding. Haseo rented a tiny apartment, in a backstreet so narrow you could lean across your balcony and smack someone on the balcony opposite, if they deserved it. Pipes from the place next door rattled all night and made it too hot of a day, but at least it was a place of his own. He'd kept to himself, no real friends, but he had confidence, undirected potential. Maybe it was noticeable. Maybe that's why he was targeted.

Their names were Asta and Iyoten. Of course they'd seemed harmless enough at first, chatting casually and making jokes – and then claiming how easy it was to make money raiding the temples. There were countless abandoned temples lying beyond city boundaries, from some mostly-forgotten era before the fall of the gods; everyone knew that. Everyone also knew of the monsters out there, but Asta insisted it would be fine. Haseo looked like he knew how to handle himself, she'd said. Surely the three of them together could manage it.

Yeah, so much for that. He had no doubt they would've killed him, if Ovan hadn't intervened.

But then he felt angry, decided that he wasn't going to sit around being scared all his life because of one bad incident. So he headed out alone, not keen to trust anyone else yet. That time he was followed, targeted in a different way. That time it was Shino who intervened, but not through violence. She simply stood there, and spoke in her usual calm voice, and that was all it took to save him.

After that – well, it wasn't like he was going to join the Twilight Brigade just to work off a debt, no matter what he owed. He was stubborn, wanted to find his own reasons for believing in their cause. But he did, and for the first time in his life felt like he'd found a place to belong. Okay, so he didn't get along perfectly with all the other members, but he was content. They had a common goal to work towards.

Then came TaN's harassment and the false accusations of betrayal, Ovan's disappearance and the Guild's painful fracturing. And then came Tri-Edge, striking Shino down for no damn reason and vanishing into thin air, leaving her barely alive.

Haseo had carried her all the way back to the mainland, after he found her. Out of Hulle Granz, over the causeway that spanned the lake of mist, all the way to Mac Anu, and she'd been light as a doll in his arms, hollow and cold as porcelain. Only a faint, faint pulse at her throat, and his own desperate conviction to prove she wasn't a corpse. He'd begged for help – he wasn't too proud to beg, for her sake - then yelled in denial at the diagnosis, that her soul was sliced away and lost. He'd glared at the doctors and clerics, but in the end had no choice but to leave her, comatose body bundled into a hospital bed. She was in a better one now; hunting bandits and murderers turned out to be a lucrative pastime, and there was no more deserving cause for the money. Being an arena Emperor should be even more lucrative. He hoped he'd get a chance to visit her tomorrow.

Gradually, something began to intrude on his thoughts: a familiar change in the air, a sixth-sense discomfort like someone was staring at his back. In a corner of the room stood a tall mirror, and as Haseo watched the glass clouded, reflections melting away. The shabby wooden frame warped into the shape of a golden snake, biting its own tail. Tendrils of mist crept out into the room, beckoning in silence.

Fine, he could take a hint. He stepped through the newly-conjured portal, and into the Serpent of Lore.

Walls were obscured by curtains of fog (or maybe it was incense; this place always had a heavy, mystical smell that made Haseo's throat itch). Mirrors hung everywhere, all shapes and sizes, but none reflected the contents of this chamber: each was enchanted, making it a window on some other place or time. One showed Mac Anu's central square, another showed a sunlit field with grasses waving in the breeze (even though, as Haseo had noted, it was night-time now). The main mirror, hung on the farthest wall and framed by an orouboros, displayed flickering scenes from Haseo's most recent battle. He glanced down, to the pair who stood beneath it.

"Congratulations," said Pi, while Yata nodded in solemn acknowledgment. "You surpassed everyone's expectations, I think."

"You want to know what Endrance said to me, right?"

"That won't be necessary. I've told you before, our spells catch sound as well as images. We have the conversation on record."

"Tch." Though he'd had time to get used to this, Haseo still didn't trust Raven's brand of magic, didn't really understand it. More than that, he didn't like the feeling of being spied upon - but there was nothing he could currently do about it. "I exorcised the AIDA, too. You saw that?"

"Again, well done." Pi paused briefly. "It's an unusual case. AIDA has never mimicked another creature like that before. I wonder why it chose a cat."

"Maybe Endrance just liked cats." Haseo shrugged. So long as AIDA could still be found and destroyed, it made small difference to him what they looked like. They could bounce around disguised as King Chims for all he cared.

"I also wanted your personal opinion on the match. On Endrance."

"What, because he's an Epitaph User?" He didn't see why Pi would ask that. Unless she still had some hope of recruiting Endrance into Raven, but that seemed like a lost cause. If he hadn't been interested before, then he definitely wouldn't be now Haseo had dethroned him. Besides, why did they need anyone else? Three Epitaph Users was plenty. The more new people they brought in, the more stupid arguments they'd inevitably have. "He knew how to use his Avatar, but he talked too much."

"That's all?"

Since he'd first seen Endrance fight, Haseo's opinion of him had been pretty low, and Endrance had done nothing to fix that with his cold, taunting attitude. But they'd settled the score, so…well, that was it. Haseo had proven himself, the grudge had burned out. Their last conversation, the statement that 'you're the same as me', might have put a new spin on things, but Endrance was out of his life now. "What else would there be?"

"Do you know, of all the AIDA-possessed we've dealt with, Endrance is the one who's had most chances to render people comatose, or worse? Yet all his opponents walked away from their matches."

"Huh." That was news to Haseo. Not something he'd stopped to wonder about. "So what, you think there might be a link between AIDA taking a different shape, and him acting less violent?"

"It's a possibility," Pi said. "In any case, try to stay alert. We still think Tri-Edge might be possessing someone of high status; they may well attend your crowning ceremony."

"I could have – wait, my what?"

"You didn't know?" Her incredulous tone – like _of course_ he should know – nettled at Haseo's temper. "A ceremony is always held to crown the new Emperor."

Oh, great. Perfect. "Where?"

"Hy Brasail. I assume someone will arrange the details with you tomorrow."

Haseo sighed in exasperation, raising a hand to his forehead. He hadn't really looked into what happened after the title match, since his goal wasn't to win it for its own sake. Come to think of it, he might have heard something about some ceremony, but he'd had bigger things more deserving of his attention.

Well whatever, he'd go along if he had to, but he wasn't dressing up or acting polite or any of that crap. What a waste of time.

"You're free to return now," Yata interjected, with a flick of his fan. Its inlaid jewels glittered in the gloom, plumes of mist swirling in the sudden draft of air. Nice to know he hadn't fallen asleep while Pi was talking, at least. Yata was just the type of weirdo who'd sleep standing up, Haseo would bet.

"Fine by me."

The atmosphere was instantly cooler, less humid and heavily fragranced, as he stepped back into his room. A glance over his shoulder showed a normal reflection, the mirror framed by its original dull, scratched wood.

He slumped down on the bed, letting out another irritable sigh. All he'd wanted was to defeat Endrance, prove his power, get rid of the demon. Take another step closer to Shino's salvation. Why couldn't he be allowed to do that, then walk away and ignore all these stupid extras?

A knock on the door again, scattering his thoughts. Haseo hauled himself to his feet, and strode off to play along with this ridiculous game.

* * *

><p>The journey to Hy Brasail took all night, and most of the following day, bringing them into port a few hours before sunset. Atoli had never travelled on such a grand ship before, fitted with huge steam-powered propellers as well as sails, and crewed by Vital Vista in smart uniforms (she'd always liked Vital Vista, with the cute way they waddled about). She wanted to enjoy the experience, but a host of small worries nipped at her. It was wonderful that they'd won in Demon Palace, after working so hard, but… A part of her didn't feel she deserved it. Like Haseo and Silabus were the ones who'd done the real work, and she'd just been there in the background. She wondered if others thought that way too, and were too polite to say it (unless they were whispering it behind her back). She was afraid she'd do something stupid at the crowning ceremony, in front of all those important people.<p>

Talking with Silabus helped, since he'd never experienced anything like this either, and was excited in a simple, honest way that raised her spirits. Haseo spent most of the journey in his cabin, alone. Atoli was concerned his injuries might be bothering him, and offered more healing spells, but he just told her to go away.

Hy Brasail really was the Isle of Kings. Most people dreamed of visiting it at some point, either as an Emperor or a bride in one of the rare, prestigious weddings here. From the carefully-clipped ivy wrapped around marble pillars, to the fanfares played by a band of musicians, everything seemed full of elegance. She felt like a child, in awe, following behind Haseo and Silabus as they were ushered to the proper places.

The crowning itself was brief, a few speeches and the presentation of some rare, engraved weapons (despite the name, there was no actual crown involved). Atoli did her best to seem calm and gracious, as she imagined a champion should be; she wanted to at least _look_ the part. It was a relief when that finished, and people were freed to move about and talk less formally. Amongst the guests she recognised Lord Zelkova and Kaede of Moon Tree, though she didn't know them as well as she knew Sakaki (she wished he could be there, but he had other engagements). There was a tall, aloof-looking Beast man that she'd seen pictures of in Lumina Cross – wasn't he the Holy Palace Emperor? She even caught a glimpse of Alkaid, though didn't dare approach her.

Tables were laid out beautifully, with white cloths and silver candlesticks, bowls full of fresh bread and bright slices of fruit, but Atoli felt too nervous to eat. Perhaps it would be better to take some time alone first. Find a quiet spot, enjoy the views and cool sea air, and try to centre herself. After a little wandering, she found an empty pavilion at the end of a long pier, which seemed perfect for that.

Looking towards the shore, the distant lights of Mac Anu were bordered by dark water and dusky evening skies. It really was lovely. She wished she could feel happier. It seemed ungrateful, not to be completely happy right now.

"Should the star of the party be in a place like this?"

Atoli turned, not recognising the man who'd spoken. He wore orange-tinted glasses, and a strange, heavy-looking object encased his left arm, sealed by a padlock. At first she felt embarrassed, being called a star by somebody she didn't know; all of the praise she'd received so far made her feel that way. Then he began talking to her about Haseo, as if he and Haseo were acquainted. Normally she'd go to Silabus about things like this – her fears that Haseo might hate her, and the way she still wanted to be closer to him – but it was nice to get a new perspective. The things this man said, they sounded wise. He reminded her of Sakaki.

Then he leaned in, to tell her something else. "Have you heard of Tri-Edge? It's the demon Haseo is hunting. But finding that demon is something only you can do. It'll be fine, if you just use your ability to hear." How had he known about that? It was a strange feeling she'd been getting lately, hearing noises nobody else could, but she hadn't made it common knowledge. People might think she was crazy for it (except Sakaki, who'd reassured her when she confided in him, and Haseo, who seemed to think she was crazy anyway). "Once he understands how valuable you are to him, even Haseo will…"

"Ovan!"

Atoli turned around, to see Haseo striding towards them. "Haseo!" she greeted him, but he didn't acknowledge her, instead focused on the man, demanding to know what he was doing here. So his name was Ovan, then?

"It's been a while. Don't sound so irritated," Ovan replied calmly.

"It's been a while because you keep wandering off!"

"Perhaps. But even so, don't you find this scene nostalgic?" Ovan continued. They certainly did seem to know each other, but whatever he was referring to, it went right over Atoli's head. "Haseo, myself, and Shino. With the three of us here, it's almost like we're back to the days of the Twilight Brigade."

"Stop it." Haseo looked agitated. Maybe they were rivals, not friends? It was sad, but with the way Haseo treated people sometimes, it might be more likely. But Ovan seemed like a very mature person, not the type who'd be bothered by a few harsh words…

"Excuse me, what are you talking about?" Atoli thought she'd heard the name 'Shino' before, but couldn't quite place it.

Ovan glanced towards her, expression unreadable behind those glasses. "Oh? Didn't he tell you?"

"Stop it!" Haseo repeated, more forcefully.

"Some time ago, Haseo was a member of my guild, the Twilight Brigade. We were searching for a precious object. Perhaps you've heard of it? The legend of the Key of the Twilight."

"Sorry, haven't heard of it," Atoli replied, increasingly awkward. The atmosphere here was so strange, not something she understood at all. Not particularly nice.

"The greatest treasure in the world. A mythical item that could grant the possessor any wish."

"So Shino was part of your guild, and you were all looking for it together?" She cast a hesitant glance towards Haseo, hoping it was okay for her to ask. He'd never mentioned these things, but it didn't sound like anything bad, that needed to be kept secret. She didn't understand why he seemed angry (not that she usually did).

"That's right. But unfortunately, she…"

"That's enough, Ovan!" Haseo ordered, but now he was the one being ignored.

"Half a year ago, she was attacked, and ever since then she's been comatose. Nothing has managed to revive her." Ovan paused to let that sink in, then added, "Shino and Haseo were very close. Isn't that right, Haseo?" Another pause, but Haseo was silent. A pang of anxiety hit Atoli, wondering just how close 'very close' meant. "Shino…bore a strong resemblance to you. A remarkable resemblance."

Atoli's hands flew to her mouth. Now she remembered where she'd first heard 'Shino'. The first time she and Haseo ever spoke, he'd called her that name. Like he'd mistaken her for somebody else, someone he was glad to see. So, then…

"Oh. I – I see." Her heart crashed down into her stomach. She didn't know how to react to that, what she should do, hurt, shocked thoughts stumbling into each other. And no arguments from Haseo? He wasn't saying she'd got it wrong, that she'd leapt to the wrong conclusion. He wasn't saying anything.

She didn't want to believe it, she really, _really_ didn't, but it made sense. Why he let her stay around, even though she was such a bother to him. Atoli took an uncertain step back, then another.

"Hey, wait!" Haseo laid a hand on her shoulder. She shook it off, turning away from him.

"Leave me alone!" She didn't want to talk anymore. If she had to talk more then her voice would waver, and she'd cry; she could feel the sobs bubbling up in her throat.

"I said wait, Atoli!" He grabbed her arm, too rough like always, and again she shook herself free.

But fine, then. She spun around to face him. Fine, she'd talk and probably end up crying and – and she didn't know. What did it matter now? "I… I enjoyed being with you. That's why I wanted to become closer friends with you. I know I'm so slow and clumsy. And I know how much I irritated you. But even so! I wanted to go on a lot more adventures with you!" He didn't reply, just looked down as if he was ashamed. That didn't make Atoli feel any better. It didn't mean he really understood, did it? "I was really happy when you invited me to the arena. That's why I studied so hard by myself. I wanted you to smile! I – I wanted you to praise me!"

"You…" he began awkwardly.

She turned away again, blinking back tears. If he gave her some half-hearted, forced-sounding praise now, she didn't think she could bear it. She already couldn't bear it. "But that was all for nothing. You weren't adventuring with me, no! You were just looking at Shino, all this time!" Stupidly, she was still hoping he'd deny it, but still he didn't. "No matter what…" No good, the tears were spilling over. "There's no reason for this…if you won't look at me!"

She turned and ran. Back along the pier, sobbing for breath, and then – no, she couldn't go down there, not amongst all the guests. Couldn't let anyone else see her like this, when she was meant to be a champion today. A winner, not a loser. She cast about frantically for somewhere else to hide.

The chapel? It wasn't strictly open, maybe it was only used for weddings, but she fled to it anyway. Luck was finally on her side, in the form of an unlocked side door. Atoli slipped through, closed it behind her and leaned against it for support. Hands pressed over her mouth and eyes squeezed shut, like some bad mimicry of prayer, trying to cry quietly in case anyone was nearby. In case they scolded her for being in the wrong place.

She'd stay here until everyone left. Haseo wouldn't bother looking for her, would he? Not for her.


	3. Two: Beyond the Barrow

**Two: Beyond the Barrow**

Morrigu Barrow was a place wrapped in legends, none of them too comforting. Most people agreed on its status as a barrier, dividing mortal realms from the ravaged heavens. Some also told that it was the grave of a fallen goddess named Morganna (or Morrigu). Or that she'd been cast into the chasm alive, and would take five thousand years to claw her way to the top, at which point the world would end. Some said she hadn't been a goddess but a witch, served by eight demons that fed on the blood of her daughter, who was trapped in an enchanted sleep. Every so often, travellers would claim to have seen the spectre of a woman walking beneath the wall, on the far side of the abyss. It was considered an omen of very bad luck.

Haseo wasn't sure how much he believed all of that. In some ways, he was a fairly cynical person, but…well, he'd believed in the Key of the Twilight, hadn't he?

Either way, he'd come to Morrigu Barrow in search of Atoli. It was a week since he'd last seen her, in tears at the crowning ceremony. Silabus hadn't spoken to her since then either, and in the end it was Yata who provided an answer, with those magic mirrors of his.

Summoned to the Serpent of Lore, Haseo stared in disbelief at the images forming in the glass. Atoli, discovered wandering at the boundary of the world – but on the far side of the chasm. The side people weren't supposed to be on, the side meant for goddesses and ghosts. She stood before a section of wall scarred by a Sign, tilting her head as if listening for something. The Sign glowed at the touch of her fingertips, making her flinch back in surprise. And then…she simply wasn't there anymore.

"What the- What happened?" It wasn't just seeing her vanish that shocked Haseo, it was that place. To all appearances, she'd passed _through the wall_. That would have been strange enough if it was an ordinary stone wall, but for _this_ one… "Where did she go?" He looked to Yata for a more believable explanation.

"It's just as you saw. We don't know what happened to her after that. She can no longer be located." Yata waved a hand, and the mirror clouded over.

"Atoli…" And this was on top of the revelation he'd already heard, that Atoli was a dormant Epitaph User, one of the people Yata secretly kept an eye on (which had to be the reason for his concern now; if it was just some random girl who'd gone missing then he wouldn't care, would he?). Haseo would figure out how he felt about that later. Right now, his main problem was how crappy his last encounter with Atoli had been, and the fact she'd gotten into a strange, possibly dangerous situation. That was reason enough to go find her.

Damn Ovan for telling her all that stuff, about Shino. Even if it hadn't been lies, Haseo didn't think it painted a fair picture. Did it? Even if it did, it wasn't Ovan's place to stick his nose in and stir things up, when he was otherwise so distant. It didn't seem like he'd done it for Atoli's benefit, and certainly not for Haseo's.

And damn Yata, for hoarding so many secrets. Haseo wasn't sure what difference it would have made, knowing Atoli had an Avatar locked up inside her, if he'd have treated her any differently. Probably not. But surely it was still relevant, somehow. It was something he'd have liked to be told, before this point.

"Pi and Kuhn have been briefed on the situation already. They'll accompany you in searching for her."

So they'd known before Haseo did? He bit back an angry remark about that. He wouldn't have asked for their company, but it'd be good to have, he supposed. In case things got dangerous. If someone needed to have a friendly talk with Atoli and convince her to come back, then Silabus would be the better choice; things like that came more naturally to him than Haseo. But it wouldn't be right, dragging him into…whatever was going on here.

"Fine. Anything else I should know?"

There hadn't been. And now Haseo was here, on the mortal side of the chasm, watching Pi work some incomprehensible magic that she claimed would make a bridge, to cross over. In the distance the wall could be glimpsed, a solid grey line with a speck of red that must be the Sign, marking the exact spot of Atoli's disappearance.

The skies above it seemed normal, clouds drifting from one side of the wall to the other. Haseo wondered if those were really the skies of heaven, just the same as their own, or if it was an optical illusion. Or something else altogether. It had rained on and off all morning, making him glad he'd brought his cape (though it was more for show than warmth: red patterns over black, high collar, more buckles and fastenings than it needed). He wondered if the same rain was falling over there, too. He wondered when Tri-Edge had made the Sign here, and why.

More than that, he wondered about Atoli. There were no traces of her here, or any other living person. Only them.

"Is it just me, or does this feel sort of like blasphemy?" Kuhn asked, shifting from foot to foot on the wet grass.

"Really, Kuhn? Didn't think you were the type to care," Haseo replied.

"Naturally. We could be about to come face-to-face with a goddess, and I don't want her to look angry at me!"

"I thought you met 'goddesses' all the time," Haseo said, dryly. He should have known it wasn't a matter of piety. Kuhn laughed in an embarrassed, 'you got me there' way.

"If you two are finished, we're ready to proceed," Pi announced. "Though I wouldn't be holding out hope for communion with any deities. You know how the legends go." And if they were true, heaven should be mostly empty. Everyone had seen the rusted ruins of the Crest Gun, overgrown with plants that mutated in its residual magic, but still dominating skylines for miles around the Mac Anu region. Haseo remembered a while back, when he'd been adventuring with Atoli and she'd pointed it out to him, chattering on about the feeling of sadness it gave her. The world was a mostly godless place.

"Great! Uh, so where's the bridge?" Kuhn asked.

"Right in front of you. Here." Pi took a fearless step to the very edge of the chasm, and then another – but instead of tumbling through empty air, her foot landed on something solid, supporting her weight. It looked like a structure of hexagonal glass tiles, invisible until they were stepped on. She walked on a short distance, then turned back to Haseo and Kuhn, who remained on solid ground, staring. "Well? Are we going to find Atoli or not?"

"Right!" Kuhn followed her on, and then Haseo.

It was no more amazing than some other forms of magic he'd seen, really. Just took a moment to get used to it. Especially given how clear the view down was, into that abyss that may or may not hold a goddess' rotting corpse. Haseo wasn't scared of heights, but he'd challenge anyone to face something like this and not feel their heart rate pick up.

Though he'd be damned if he looked nervous in front of the others, either.

In reality, it probably didn't take hours for them to cross, but it felt like it. Kuhn voiced his relief once their feet reached ordinary ground again, and when Haseo glanced back, the bridge had become invisible again. Then he looked forward, to the wall itself. From the other side, it was impossible to realise the full scale of it. Now he felt dwarfed; the Sign seemed like a tiny scratch, like a cup of ink poured into the ocean. In the wall's shadow were piles of crumbling bricks, remnants of normal-sized buildings whose purposes were lost to time (but while they had fallen, the wall itself stayed perfect). And still no Atoli. Wherever she disappeared to, she hadn't come back yet.

"You know, one theory about Avatars," Pi began, her voice thoughtful as she approached the Sign, "is that they're remnants of lost gods. The ones we threw away, trying to be reborn."

Haseo scoffed quietly at that. "So I'm being haunted by some god's ghost? Sure, why not."

There was an unsettling sense of awe around this place though, that threw everything into uncertainty. It seemed like they all felt it. Without another word, Pi reached out to activate the Sign.

A flash of crimson, then white. A shock ran up Haseo's spine, leaving his skin tingling. There was still ground beneath his feet, but the atmosphere had changed, somehow…flatter, less alive.

They stood on a featureless plain of greys and whites, no earth below and no sky above. No sun, but it was bright as day. No pathways, no buildings, no plants or water. A pale, sterile wasteland, outside of time. This couldn't be the realm of the gods, could it? Just this, nothing more?

Well, there was one thing, one oasis of colour. Tentative relief swept over Haseo as he recognised Atoli, the slight frame and style of clothes she wore. Her back was turned to him, showing no sign she'd noticed his arrival as she – what was she doing? Arranged in front of her were urns, pots, chests, boxes of every size and style, crowding tables and stacked on top of each other, towering precariously. Atoli had focused on one particular chest, was leaning back and tugging at the handles, struggling to open it. She lost her grip, tumbled backwards, then picked herself up and turned around.

"Haseo! How did you know?"

"Atoli-" He took a step towards her.

"No! Stay back!" She took a defensive-looking stance, warning him off. "I found this place myself, with my own powers. Please don't get involved. I'm going to find Tri-Edge!"

"What? Why are you looking for Tri-Edge?" Of all the reasons he'd tried to come up with for her being at Morrigu Barrow, that had definitely not been on the list. He'd never spoken to her about Tri-Edge.

"Because…because I want you to look at me! I want you to see me, recognise me!"

That didn't make any sense. She wanted to find it for _him?_ And then what, she thought she'd skip away unharmed and tell him about it? "What are you talking about? I'm looking at you right now."

"If you were, you never would have said what you said! That I was too irritating, that you never wanted to see my face again!"

"No, that was-"

"If you were actually seeing me, you never would have said that! If there was a stronger cleric, you would have chosen that person and not me. If there was a girl that looked more like Shino, you would have relied on her. Well, am I right?"

"No, you idiot! That's not it at all!" Or maybe it was, or it had been at one point, but that didn't matter right now. He'd still come here to make sure _she_ was okay, hadn't he? It wasn't like he didn't care if she lived or died. But he sure as hell didn't want another stupid argument with her.

"I am an idiot! That's the way I am, why I got the wrong impression! I know better than anyone how much of an idiot I am! So please, just…" She turned away, retreating to the pots and urns.

"Atoli, wait!" Haseo reached out to grab her arm, but she shook him off forcefully, losing her balance.

Atoli stumbled against a stack of boxes, making them tremble, tumble down and scatter, knocking more and more items as they did so. A domino effect, pots smashing open and chest lids flinging back, and-

Out poured AIDA. Black bubbles rising, swarming, gathering into one mass which then split itself into a hundred stretching arms and grasping hands. All of them speeding towards her. Haseo barely had time to call a warning before they struck, passing right through her body, half-hiding her in a cloud of frothing darkness. She screamed, spine arching in pain, falling backwards.

And Haseo watched, just like he'd watched Shino, helplessly. The AIDA fluttered away as she hit the ground; Haseo was at her side a moment later, calling her name, lifting her up, willing her eyes to open. Reliving all the trauma of losing Shino, as he stared into an unresponsive face so similar to hers. This wasn't happening, this _couldn't_ be happening again.

Except it was. And he couldn't help her, again. How could he help her? His head was spinning. He felt sick.

"Haseo? Leave it to me," Kuhn said, placing a hand on his shoulder. Haseo blinked; he'd forgotten anyone else was here. Kuhn held his arms out, and Haseo passed the unconscious girl over to him, not understanding why but not arguing either. Yellow Avatar patterns glowed over Kuhn's body, and the air around him and Atoli rippled with a current of warmth.

"The Propagation has some type of unique healing powers," Pi explained. Still though, Atoli didn't open her eyes. Wasn't it enough?

"She's still breathing, at least," Kuhn said. "Let's get out of here."

And so they did, leaving behind that empty, false haven. Haseo wasn't sure if their mission had been a success or a failure; it felt more like the latter.

* * *

><p>For the first few moments after Endrance woke, things felt okay. Then he looked to the side, to the empty pillow where a small white cat ought to be sleeping, and reality shattered him all over again. She was gone. He'd lost Her, and deserved to, because once again he'd been too weak to save Her from harm.<p>

He curled up, burying his head under the covers. No reason to get out of bed. Nothing he could do to relieve the pain. Nothing was left for him.

He'd survived this long in a state of dazed denial, unable to fully process the shock of what had happened, still half-expecting Her to somehow reappear. It was too much to take, She'd been ripped from him so suddenly and completely. But now it had sunk in, pierced right through him, and he didn't want to survive it anymore.

He'd be granted no more miracles. Now it was his turn to go to Her.

After a while, he found enough willpower to push the covers back and stand, unsteadily. He'd barely eaten since he lost Her, felt light-headed but lacking any appetite, and exhausted even though he'd slept so much. Some of the wounds he'd gained in battle stung; they hadn't been properly tended, but were minor and meaningless compared to his greater loss. He staggered to the windows, pulled back heavy embroidered curtains to let in daylight. Then he picked up a comb from the dresser, and the gold charms that would fix to the ends of his hair, to keep it tidy. Mundane daily routines, repeated because he didn't know what else to do, barely thinking throughout them. His hair was more tangled than normal. It had seemed pointless to take care of it.

Whatever happened to this house after he left, all the fine possessions it held, that didn't matter either. There were only a few things he wanted to take, precious keepsakes from Her first life. He even debated leaving his sword, but it wasn't safe out there (or so he'd heard, since he wasn't normally one for travelling, leaving his comfort zones). It wouldn't do if bandits accosted him before he'd reached his final destination. This would be on his terms, nobody else's.

By mid-afternoon, he was ready. He made his way out, through the garden of withering rose bushes, and locked the gates behind him; high gates of sculpted iron and high walls for privacy. The streets weren't too crowded as he made his weary, stumbling way to one last place, somewhere he wanted to see one last time before he vanished. A bigger house in a different part of town, with gates that had been locked to him for years. If he looked between the bars though, he could see the courtyard he'd played in as a child. Played, and then practised swordsmanship, under the tutoring of a Lei tribe woman, an adventurer his father hired to 'toughen him up'. Mia, the most wonderful thing that ever happened to him.

She'd died in that house, from the mysterious sickness that stole away her memories and her mind. Endrance was sent away in disgrace for his obsessive mourning, given a large allowance to live on so long as he kept quiet. There had been rumours about him, but they weren't true. He'd loved Her, more than anyone else, but they never did anything inappropriate. He simply loved Her.

"Hey! Can't you hear me, Endrance?"

He looked down, half-recognising the voice. That small, red-haired girl from the arena… Alkaid, that was it. His rival, once upon a time. He'd taken the crown from her.

"Mia… Have you seen Mia?" He could picture her there in that courtyard, almost perfectly: her fur was a lovely amethyst colour, her armour green as that special grass she loved. Good-natured laughter, as she taught a shy, clumsy little boy how to hold a sword without cutting his own feet off.

"Huh? What the heck are you talking about? Don't you recognise me?"

He turned away, raising a hand to his head. It ached, blurry patches clouding his vision. What did it matter, whether he recognised Alkaid or not? "I can't find her, she's disappeared… My beautiful Mia…"

"Would you look at yourself?" She was chasing after him, yelling at him, trying to grab his arm. Why was she bothering him so much, spoiling his moment of nostalgia? He wasn't Emperor now, any more than she was. "Pull yourself together! You are the same guy who defeated me, aren't you?"

"It's all my fault, if I just hadn't lost…" He could hear Alkaid calling after him, but he just kept walking, more quickly than before. He didn't want to talk anymore. He was tired, he was done.

* * *

><p>Atoli woke on a makeshift bed, to a muddled cloud of bad memories. Her throat felt dry, and her left hand was numb, as if she'd been lying on it. She sat up, looking around a small, windowless chamber that seemed like an emptied storage room; there was a ghost of scent in the air, soft and incense-like, and rust-coloured symbols painted on one wall. They looked very old. Oddly, the feeling wasn't returning to her left hand yet, nor the ability to move it. She pulled off the glove, and stared in alarm at the white cracks bleaching her skin.<p>

Quickly, she used her teeth to pull off the glove from her right hand; it was unmarked. She moved her legs, wriggled her toes, but the rest of her body seemed okay. Only one hand was affected – paralysed? That was a frightening word. And the last thing she remembered, before waking up here, was…

The door opened, and a tall woman with pink hair walked in. Slim eyeglasses, fitted red jacket, all vaguely familiar. "How are you feeling, Atoli?"

"I'm…" Atoli began, or tried to, but her voice barely came out. She touched her throat with her good hand, worries multiplying.

"There's water, if you're thirsty." The woman indicated an upturned crate beside the bed. Despite the meagre furniture, the glass itself was sparkling and spotless, the water ice-cold. Atoli drank gratefully, then tried to speak again, but the results were no better. "Try not to be too alarmed. You've been through quite an ordeal, so side-effects aren't surprising. Do you know who I am?"

Atoli thought about it for a moment, then nodded and tried to mouth 'a friend of Haseo's?' Because that woman had been at Morrigu Barrow as well, hadn't she? She and Haseo had arrived together. Following Atoli into that strange white place with the tower of boxes, where she'd thought she could be useful.

The woman gave a small smile. "Friend may not be the best word, but yes. My name is Pi. Haseo and I are part of the same organisation, Raven."

Raven? She'd never heard him mention that name. Then again, there were a lot of things she'd never heard him mention. Like the Twilight Brigade. Atoli flinched at the memory. She'd been trying to prove herself, but instead had argued with him again, and then that thing came and hurt her. Had it hurt him too, or was he just angry? Is that why he wasn't here now?

Some of those thoughts must have showed on her face, because Pi said, "You're safe now. Haseo is outside, if you'd like to see him."

Atoli hesitated, then shook her head. They had enough trouble trying to understand each other when both of them could speak. She needed more time to herself. 'Where are we?'

"Where? This is Raven's headquarters. It's not exactly five-star, but we're not used to housing casualties."

Atoli nodded, though she felt bad being referred to as a casualty. 'The thing…that attacked me…' She gestured vaguely, not sure she was ready to hear about this, but not sure what else to ask. Had that been Tri-Edge?

"You'd like to know more about the demon?" Pi gave a thoughtful pause. Fortunate she was so good at reading lips. "It's a type we call AIDA: Arcanely Intelligent Demonic Anomaly. They normally manifest as clusters of black dots, and possess humans to manipulate them. Or steal from them, as in your case."

And so, in that strange little room, began Atoli's induction to the world of AIDA, and of Avatars. Which she'd apparently had herself, but now lost. She'd apparently been special, and now, through her efforts to _becom_e special, had made herself crippled and ordinary. What horrible irony. Wasn't it just her luck, though?


	4. Three: Premonitions of Danger

**Three: Premonitions of Danger  
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The lights of the Chaos Gate intensified, into the semi-tropical sunshine of Dol Dona.

Some people said using Chaos Gates too often was a bad idea, all that powerful magic pulling at you in ways nobody completely understood (though they'd been around for years). Haseo was the only member of Canard who ignored that superstition. He'd always used the Gates as often as he wanted to, and never felt worse for wear. When you thought about it, every kind of travel had risks, so there was no point flinching away from it.

He shaded his eyes against the light, taking his first look around. Dol Dona's population were primarily Beasts, which meant low-tech buildings, clay bricks and canvas tents and wooden windmills, and paintings covering the walls of this shallow canyon. Dust and pollen, scent of herbs and sound of reed pipes in the air, instead of the steam and grind of machinery. Not much of an entrance compared to Mac Anu's dome, but the others were already getting over-enthusiastic.

"Doesn't that sun feel great?" Silabus asked, stretching his arms above his head.

"It's lovely! Oh, and look at those cute ducks!" Atoli chirped back, as if the Morrigu Barrow incident had never happened. Haseo had no idea if she'd really gotten over it that fast, or if she was putting a brave face on. At least her voice had returned. …He tried to be nice, and not think of that as a bad thing.

On the surface, things between them hadn't changed much. It felt like the best, least awkward plan was to try and act normal – or as close to normal as they got – and not mention AIDA or Avatars carelessly, around Silabus and Gaspard. Haseo wouldn't have gotten Atoli involved either, if he'd had a choice.

In that sense, something _had_ changed. Before, in Demon Palace, he hadn't thought twice about using normal people to fight Endrance, a dangerous AIDA-possessed Epitaph User. After that sick, helpless feeling of seeing Atoli attacked in Morrigu Barrow, he wasn't sure that had been a great thing to do. Even if it had turned out okay, in Endrance's case.

Atoli's public excuse for her paralysed hand was that she'd been injured in the arena, but it hadn't shown up right away. Which was one reason they were here, in Dol Dona. Haseo wasn't clear on all the details, because he hadn't listened, but it was connected to some relative of Gaspard's, wanting help to look after a market stall. Or something like that. Silabus suggested that the climate might help Atoli recover, and then because everyone else was going, Haseo got dragged along too. Like he had nothing better to do.

"Let's find this new guild house," Haseo said, shouldering the pack he'd brought. Just some essentials, because while he wasn't _scared_ of using the Chaos Gate to zip between Dol Dona and his home in Mac Anu, it would still be a waste of time if he had to do it repeatedly. Easier to just hang out here. He'd make a second trip later, to pick up a few more valuable things that he didn't want to leave in an unguarded apartment. Hopefully Canard wouldn't get too nosy with those, on pain of having their asses kicked.

"Sure! Atoli, let me help with that for the rest of the way," Silabus said, moving to take the bundle she held.

"No, really, it's fine! You have your own things to carry."

"But your arm! You're meant to be resting."

Haseo sighed, not entertained by their pantomime of politeness. "Just let him, he won't quit otherwise."

Atoli looked a bit disheartened, but backed down and let Silabus take her things. Gaspard had brought way too much, huffing and puffing under the weight of a basket strapped to his back. That was his choice, though; Haseo had no intention of relieving him (and Silabus had already taken on some of the basket's contents, to lighten it: a bag of candy, a dog-eared grimoire, a woolly cloak that definitely wouldn't be needed).

"Haseo knows we're good at taking care of people. Right?" Gaspard shared a cheerful look with Silabus, who nodded.

"Huh? Shut up." Haseo frowned, realising what they meant.

"Taking care of who?" Atoli asked, fidgeting now both her hands were free.

"None of your business," Haseo snapped. He didn't like being reminded.

He'd first met Silabus and Gaspard in the aftermath of a battle. One he'd won, but not without taking injuries himself. Even then, he still would have told them to leave him alone, if he hadn't been so weak from lost blood. Looking back, he had to admit their help probably saved his life. But it's not like that was the reason he stuck around now.

Canard wasn't like the Twilight Brigade, though he'd found his way to both guilds in the same manner, his life being saved. But even that hadn't been the same, entirely. Ovan used to claim Haseo was special, full of potential; looking back on that, Haseo wondered what would have happened if he _hadn't_ been special in Ovan's eyes, if he still would have been worth saving. Canard, on the other hand, assumed Haseo was nothing but ordinary. It took a while for them to believe he was the Terror of Death, since they'd heard exaggerated stories about some seven-foot-tall warrior who practically breathed fire. They'd saved him just because they saw someone in trouble. All things considered, Haseo would rather be saved 'just because'.

And now, somehow, he'd become the one keeping secrets the way Ovan had, sneaking off to do things he couldn't explain. But he'd never become completely Ovan-like, and abandon the people who trusted him. He wouldn't ever do that.

Before the group could move further into the town, or pester Haseo any more, their attention was caught by an outburst of noise, an approaching argument between two familiar faces.

"Sirius, I said wait!" Alkaid called, chasing after the lanky Lei Tribe member. He ignored her until she ran ahead of him, stubbornly blocking his path. Then he bared his teeth, the whites of his eyes showing in a feral, almost manic expression.

"So, you're after that as well!"

"What are you saying? I just-"

"Well, I'm never gonna give that up! It's mine, you hear me? It's all mine!" he yelled with a sense of angry triumph, clutching at the air as if snatching a prize. Alkaid looked upset, but not intimidated.

Weird. Was Sirius always so bad-tempered? Haseo didn't know him too well, but from what he'd seen, Sirius was normally a lot calmer than that. The type who got icy rather than fiery. Haseo and Silabus exchanged uncertain glances, but neither was stupid enough to step up and interfere.

"Move!" Sirius snarled, pushing past Alkaid and stalking over to the Chaos Gate.

"Hey! Wait, Sirius! Wait up!" she called after him. He disappeared in spirals of blue light, leaving her standing alone, fists clenched tight in frustration. Haseo gave it a few seconds, then walked over.

"Hey. What's up with him?"

"Haseo? It...it's none of your business!"

"Geez, suit yourself." He shrugged, unruffled. After all, it probably wasn't.

"This is all your fault, you know! All of it! Every single bit of it!" Alkaid declared, before wheeling around and storming off, in the opposite direction to Sirius.

"...What the hell?" Haseo blinked, watching her go. How was Sirius being an asshole _his_ fault? And if it had been his fault, it made no sense to say it wasn't his business. Really weird.

"I wonder what all that was about," Silabus said, sounding concerned. Haseo shook his head.

For all that he and Alkaid had trash talked each other before their tournament match, he'd thought there were no hard feelings left (just like there weren't between him and Endrance). So far as she knew, he'd beaten her fair and square. Anything like an Avatar was unheard of, to most people; on the other hand, Haseo's history as the Terror of Death was common knowledge. He'd needed to rebuild his strength, after that one disastrous fight that led him to Canard, but he was back on form now, or close enough.

Not that it mattered a whole lot. Even if she did suspect him, he was doing this to save Shino, so his conscience was clear. And if she was having some big quarrel with Sirius, that was her problem, not his.

"Forget it. Like I said, let's find out guild house."

* * *

><p>It wasn't the first time Endrance had seen a dead body. It was, however, the first time he'd killed someone with his own sword. In Demon Palace, the aim was to win through surrender or incapacitation, not death (which was grounds for disqualification, if the killer had shown excessive violence). A skilled warrior should be able to temper their strikes.<p>

But this wasn't the arena, and he hadn't been fighting for Her love or pride, or anything else worth having. Some bandits had noticed a lone traveller in expensive clothing. He'd defended himself, they'd refused to run. That was all.

He wasn't sure what he was meant to feel, looking down at the bodies (it wasn't even clear if all of them were dead, or if some were merely unconscious – but one man had certainly been dealt a fatal wound). He didn't feel sick or shaken, or want to vomit. He didn't feel satisfaction, a sense of justice carried out. Just as numb as he'd been while She was still with him, the second time around.

He wondered what the appeal had been for Haseo. Because this was the same thing Haseo did before entering the tournament, wasn't it? Roaming around, slaying predatory bandits, gaining the over-dramatic title 'Terror of Death'. Endrance couldn't remember where he'd heard that, but of all the rumours circling Haseo, it sounded the least absurd. The people who claimed he had demonic lineage, or drunk the still-warm blood of his foes, they were just getting carried away. He wasn't even especially tall.

Some people would seek revenge, perhaps, but that path held no appeal for Endrance. Even if he succeeded, it wouldn't bring Her back – and he doubted he'd succeed. Haseo triumphed in an even match, between those mysterious entities they could both summon. He might not live up to all the wild rumours, but he was stronger than Endrance.

Besides that… Recently, a part of Endrance had begun to doubt, wondering if the small white cat was really Her reincarnation, or if that had just been the sweetest lie to believe, at the time. Looking back on it, his memories seemed cloudy and strange, like they were a story he'd been told rather than events he'd lived through himself. But either way, it no longer made a difference. He looked around for something to clean the blood from his sword.

As he did, he spied a flash of movement some distance away, over the pale plains of high grass. A person could hide here by crawling, as the bandits had done to set up their ill-fated ambush, but Endrance had another, less stealthy follower. That little blonde girl, the one who'd pestered him after every arena match, wasn't giving up her habit. So far she'd mostly kept her distance, but sometimes he woke of a morning to find that she'd left things near him. Mostly packets of food, which was useful, since he hadn't thought about such basic needs when he left Lumina Cross. Once or twice she'd left letters, with illustrations (she was not artistically gifted). He hoped she didn't do anything intrusive, like watch his sleeping face in the moonlight.

Well, for now it wasn't a problem, though he didn't want her following him right to the end. Until then, he'd do the same as always and ignore her. He wondered if the bandits' corpses would upset her, or if she'd just say something foolish like 'serves you right for getting in Master En's way!'

Endrance picked up a cape one of the bandits had been wearing, and began to clean the sword. True, soon it would be swallowed up in Indieglut Lugh along with everything else he held, everything else he was. It was a shame to let its beauty be tarnished though, even for a short while. He gave a brief polish to the gemstone embedded in the hilt.

Not a simple gemstone, really, but it hadn't been anything else for many years. He closed his eyes, listening to the soft, rushing sound of windblown grasses. Remembering when he'd been small enough to brush the stalks with his hands as he ran, following Her lead and Her bright laughter.

* * *

><p><em>Dear Lord Sakaki,<em> Atoli began, writing on a piece of the textured parchment that shops around here sold. Everyone at Moon Tree had been very understanding about her trip, so the least she could do was send them letters. Currently she sat outside the new guild base, on the pier; her legs dangled over the edge, toes almost touching the clear water. It felt more peaceful than the piers in Mac Anu.

_Dol Dona is lovely so far. The skies are so blue, and we're staying right on the lake's edge, so I'm glad it's not the rainy season. In the distance you can see the Fort Ouph ruins, which makes me feel a little sad and nostalgic, but also_

That was as far as she got, before the rumble of an approaching engine made her look up. Haseo's steam bike wove a path between startled pedestrians (they must be especially startled here, since the natives didn't use much steam technology). To be fair, there was no law against riding bikes through towns, and Haseo wasn't the only one who did it, and he'd never caused an accident so far as Atoli knew… But still, she wished he wouldn't do it.

"Haseo!" She greeted him with a smile. He gave her an acknowledging glance, then hopped off the bike and knelt down to inspect something under the…front armoured part. Atoli was no good with mechanical things. "Is everything okay?"

"Huh? Sure," he said distractedly, then stood up and headed into the guild home. Not long afterwards he came back out, minus the sword he'd been carrying, with a box of tools instead. She watched as he began doing something noisy and incomprehensible to that front part of the bike.

"It's a nice day to work outside, isn't it?" she asked.

"I guess," he said. "Plus Death Grunty's not out here."

Atoli didn't see why he disliked the Grunty so much. She thought it was adorable – a little grouchy maybe, but that just added to the cuteness. And even if it quarrelled with Haseo, it was a reliable helper with lots of things, including the bike. She kept that to herself though, instead looking back at her letter, wondering what else to write. It would be nice if she could confide in Sakaki about Avatars, about what had really happened to her...

"Um, Haseo? Can I ask you something? About Avatars?"

He glanced over his shoulder at her. "What?"

"When Pi told me about them, she said she didn't know why they chose certain people. She said there's a theory it might be based on personalities. Like Endrance is the Temptress, and he had lots of fans while he was Emperor." Though Atoli had never been amongst them, despite Endrance's stunning looks. Pi hadn't mentioned what her own Avatar was called, and Atoli didn't know if it was okay to ask. "She said yours is the Terror of Death."

"So?"

"Do you really think that fits you?"

"It's what people call me anyway." He said it in a neutral tone, neither proud nor unhappy. But surely nobody could be happy with a mean, scary title like that, deep down?

"But…" Atoli began, then hesitated. She wished Haseo's back wasn't turned to her, so she could see his expressions. "Um. I don't even know what my Avatar was called, before I lost it. Or why it might have chosen me." She didn't know why anyone would choose her for anything, let alone something so rare and powerful as that. Maybe its theft was really correcting a mistake, taking away what she was never meant to have. That idea wouldn't leave her alone.

"It's fine. You'll find out."

"But-"

Haseo straightened up, finished with whatever he'd been doing to the bike. "Yata figured out where the AIDA that stole it went. It's possessed someone in the Holy Palace arena. So I'll enter a tournament, fight them and get it back."

"Haseo…"

"What? You're not doing well without it, right?"

Atoli looked down at her hands: the one she'd been writing with, and the useless, paralysed one. Dol Dona's climate hadn't helped it, of course. She kept feeling fatigued, off her food, like it was increasingly hard to keep a smile in place. Even if she'd never understood it before, some part of her was definitely missing. But for Haseo to burden himself for her sake again, to face another tournament…that was too much. Even if it was meant as an apology for what happened before, how he'd hurt her feelings, it didn't seem right. "When did you decide that?"

"Last night."

Silently, she weighed up her choices. She was upset at being told like this, so offhand. But they both knew she couldn't do it by herself, and if she protested then they'd argue, and she'd feel even worse... "Then...will Silabus and me still be your team?"

"Haven't decided yet," he said, and disappeared back into the guild home.

Atoli set her pen aside, unable to think about the letter anymore. It would make sense, she supposed, if Haseo didn't want to take her, with the state of her health. But it didn't affect her ability to cast spells, to heal others! She could still fulfil that role. And she wanted to be useful, not waiting helplessly on the sidelines while someone else solved her problems. Someone who she wasn't even sure liked her or not.

She liked Haseo, though. Even after the things Ovan had told her, she couldn't help it. Even if being around him was so confusing and nerve-wracking sometimes. No matter how often she failed, she kept hoping for chances to impress him, just a little.

When he exited the guild home again she was waiting, standing in front of his steam bike, papers gathered to her chest as if they offered security. She took a deep breath. "Haseo, I really think-"

"What's this?" He reached out, plucking something from amongst her papers. An envelope, with his name on. She'd forgotten about that. "You wrote to me?" he asked, with the tone that suggested she'd done something stupid or baffling.

She shook her head quickly, embarrassed. "It wasn't me! Somebody else delivered it, while I was sitting here."

He tore it open, scanned the letter inside, then scowled. "Who brought this?"

"Um." Atoli faltered, taken aback by his sudden darkening of mood. "I-I didn't see. It was just a normal courier, one of the ducks."

"Bastard," Haseo snarled, ripping the letter up and throwing it into the water. Then he strode past Atoli – who hurriedly hopped out of the way – mounted his steam bike and rode off, engine growling in a cloud of sandy dust. Atoli coughed.

She had no idea what was in that envelope, to make him so angry. A few pieces hadn't made it into the lake, blown back on a breeze. One landed near her foot, and she knelt to pick it up. Expensive paper, nicer than what she'd been using. There was another piece floating near enough for her to fish out, and though the ink had already blurred, she could decipher a few words.

'et in Hul' was the text of one. The other was part of a signature. 'van'

...No wonder Haseo had been angry, then. Atoli dropped both scraps of paper into the water, and let them sink.


	5. Four: Friends in Need

**Four: Friends in Need**

In the end, Haseo had cautiously decided to let Silabus and Atoli join him in Holy Palace. Apparently they had to give up their old Emperor titles if they were trying for another. None of them minded, since none of them had over-inflated egos.

The opening rounds were today, and since their match was scheduled last, they'd decided to watch the earlier ones from the spectator stands. To scope out the competition, and if they were lucky, identify the AIDA-possessed warrior with the stolen Avatar. Pi had assured Haseo that the person wouldn't actually be able to summon it, the way an Epitaph User would. That was some good news, at least.

"Isn't it exciting?" Atoli exclaimed. "My heart's pounding already!"

"Mine too!" Silabus agreed. "And we've got a great view from here."

Gaspard, who'd tagged along for support, mumbled something around a mouthful of Chim Chips, sauce-covered snacks that vendors outside the arena sold. Haseo rolled his eyes at them all, saying nothing. Part of him envied their ability to enjoy it so much, so easily.

Loose clouds of magically-crafted snowflakes swept over the waiting arena, a trademark of Holy Palace; in the commentator's box, fanfares blazed out, announcing the first two teams to compete. He used the distraction to steal a few of Gaspard's chips.

The first team wasn't a welcome sight. It was led by Bordeaux, a nasty piece of work who deserved to be locked up, not basking in a spotlight. The second was better – there was no mistaking Alkaid, even if the commentator hadn't been crowing her name. So, was this why she'd quarrelled with Sirius the other day? Was his Emperor title the thing he'd accused her of trying to take?

Haseo frowned. Something didn't seem right about that, but either way, the fight was starting. He had no trouble choosing which side to root for.

From the first moments, he got a bad feeling. Bordeaux moved with wild, lopsided strides, almost like she was drunk, her sword dangling from an arm that looked weirdly elongated. Alkaid dashed forward for the first strike, and Bordeaux stumbled as their blades clashed, then flung her backwards with unexpected strength.

"Alkaid launches a flurry of hits against her opponent, but Bordeaux shows remarkable endurance!" cried the commentator. "Whatever new style she's trying out, it seems to be working for her! Amazing!"

A close-up of Bordeaux appeared on the viewing screens, framed in ice. Haseo heard gasps from around him, and Atoli gripped his arm. Half of Bordeaux's face looked burned or diseased, splotches of rotten skin veined with red. Her grin was manic, the whites of her eyes gone black. Damn it! She was allowed to fight like that?

Haseo leaned forward, hunting for a way down to the arena, but he already knew there wasn't one, not from here. During matches, a barrier of magic blocked all interference, and it was too far to send Skeith out; an Avatar could only stray so far from its host body.

"Haseo, that woman..." Atoli began.

"I know." And there was nothing he could do. Alkaid was on her own down there, against an AIDA host. Maybe this was the one that stole Atoli's Avatar, before it found Bordeaux.

"What's the matter, you two?" Silabus asked, oblivious. "Bordeaux's pretty nasty, but Alkaid used to be an Emperor. I don't think she'll lose."

Haseo said nothing, hoping he was right. For a while it looked like he might be, as Bordeaux's thuggish lackeys fell to Alkaid's swift, organised teammates. AIDA wasn't like an Avatar, it could be seen by anyone, so Bordeaux couldn't do anything extreme with it unless she wanted to raise suspicions. She seemed to tire, dropping to one knee as her opponents surrounded her; Haseo leaned forward further, the spectators' barrier digging into his ribs. He knew how strong Alkaid was, so just a bit more and she could win this, and be safe...

Bordeaux struck blindingly fast. Slipping past Alkaid's guard, felling her in a single critical hit, with a spray of dark bubbles that looked almost like blood. Almost.

"No!" Haseo yelled, slamming his hands against the barrier. Alkaid's teammates rushed in, too late to help, and an instant later they'd hit the ground as well. A hush swept over the crowd, followed by gradual cheers for the surprise victory. The commentator started babbling about how Alkaid had been knocked clean out, was praising Bordeaux's 'skills'. Haseo turned away, gritting his teeth in anger, frustration, disgust.

"What's wrong?" Silabus asked. "It doesn't look like she's badly hurt, just unconscious. Did you want another match against her?"

"That's not it." Haseo shook his head. Atoli was hovering anxiously at his side, but she had the sense not to say anything. "I changed my mind. You two can't fight with me."

"Huh? But-"

"It's too dangerous. I don't want you down there."

"Haseo!" Atoli protested; Gaspard echoed her in a dismayed tone. "That's not fair! And it's too late for you to find a new team now."

"I'll fight by myself."

"But you-"

"Shut up! Endrance did it, and so can I." He glared at them, resenting their concern. Silabus and Gaspard might not understand, but Atoli ought to see why this was for the best, and not make it more difficult. Haseo couldn't protect all three of them at once – even with Skeith's power, he couldn't put a guarantee on that. He barely knew Alkaid, and still hated that he hadn't been able to help, forced to watch as she became a Lost One. She hadn't deserved that.

"Haseo..." Silabus stepped forward, looking like he was about to waste breath on some big, trademark speech of friendship. Haseo backed off from it, then ran, elbowing strangers aside and getting himself lost in the chaotic, fired-up crowds. He needed to reach the registration stand, and unlist them as his teammates before they caught up.

It was for their own stupid good. If it hurt their feelings, made them feel rejected or whatever, then too bad. And if Haseo was torn, struck by a sense of emptiness at the prospect of fighting alone, that was too bad as well.

* * *

><p>The guild's house in Dol Dona still wasn't fully organised, and Atoli had nothing better to do than fix that. Not since she'd been so soundly cast aside in Lumina Cross. Dusting stray cobwebs and unpacking boxes didn't exactly take her mind off her worries, but it was better than nothing. She picked up a patchwork blanket, and beneath it found an unfamiliar, battered chest. It didn't have a lock, but the lid was too heavy to lift with one hand, no matter how much she strained.<p>

"Are you okay there, Atoli?" asked Gaspard. He and Silabus were going over some accounts for Shop Acorn, while Death Grunty snored loudly in a corner. Nobody knew where Haseo was; ever since he won that match by himself, he'd been scarce.

He hadn't even used his Avatar – or maybe Atoli had lost her ability to see them. Before she knew what they were, when Haseo and Endrance called up those huge, shining monsters in Demon Palace, she'd been startled and confused, especially since the audience couldn't see them. She'd told herself they were hallucinations, tricks of the dazzling arena lights, nothing more than that. It felt like a long time ago.

Alkaid lay comatose, in a private hospital owned by Icolo, along with the women who'd been on her team. People were muttering about Bordeaux, but so far she hadn't been disqualified from the tournament. It was a little scary, that she was allowed to continue even though something was so clearly wrong with her. Did people simply think she was ill, and shouldn't be discriminated against?

"What's in this chest?" Atoli asked, shaking those questions from her mind, and the pair came over to look.

"Hmm. Don't know." Silabus leaned over and opened it. Inside, it was filled with...lumps of black, broken glass? Who would want to keep that?

No, not glass, but metal. Metal parts in different shapes and sizes, some with leather straps attached. There was something familiar about them… And they were scratched and dented, quite badly. Atoli reached to pick one up, then withdrew. It was stained with reddish-brown spots, like dried blood.

"Haseo's old armour!" Gaspard exclaimed.

"He used to wear that?" Oh, of course. Atoli remembered the first time she'd seen him, in that suit of horribly spiky armour. It wasn't dented or bloodstained then, though. "Did something happen?"

"He got into a pretty bad fight," Silabus explained. "I guess it'd need some repair work before he could wear it again."

"Was he hurt?"

"Yeah, but he got back on his feet in no time." Silabus seemed a little awkward, as if he shouldn't be talking about that. Come to think of it, they wouldn't have opened the chest so freely, if they'd known it belonged to Haseo. Atoli didn't remember seeing him bring it in.

"Because you helped him?" she asked. She looked down, with a quiet sigh. "I wish I could be more helpful, that he'd give me more chances..." And she couldn't explain why. Even if she was allowed to talk openly about Avatars, that wouldn't make all of her feelings clear. Because even if Avatars had nothing to do with it, she still wanted him to rely on her, to look at her in a different way... It was too difficult to dwell on, made her heart ache.

"That's Haseo for you," Gaspard said. "But you know, even if he says bad things, it doesn't mean you should always give up."

"What can we do? He won't let us join him in Holy Palace."

"Well, how about we fix this armour?" Silabus suggested brightly. "Dol Dona has some good blacksmiths."

"This? But he looked so mean when he wore it."

"He's not like that on the inside though, is he? Not once you get to know him." Silabus picked up a piece of the armour, turning it between his hands thoughtfully. "I don't think he really wants to be alone. It's more like there's some problem he has, that he's trying to overcome by himself. But even if that's the case, we can still show we're supporting him."

"I see." Atoli smiled, both at the idea and Silabus' flash of perception. "Then, let's give him a nice surprise!"

He'd probably yell at them, for going through his stuff without permission (even if that had been an accident). But that was okay, so long as it was useful to him.

* * *

><p>"It's not a small request," Pi said. Around them, the Serpent of Lore's incense-laden mists drifted between mirrors. Haseo glimpsed scenes of an alley in Mac Anu, a blurry underwater shipwreck, and a desert landscape guarded by monolithic statues.<p>

"Don't get all cagey. It's your job to fight AIDA anyway, so what's the problem?"

Pi sighed, pushing her glasses up. Yata wasn't here today, locked into some secret studying. "Only that the arena is a difficult environment, and it would just be the two of us."

"What about Kuhn? He wouldn't help Atoli?"

"Kuhn had to leave on urgent personal business. I'm not sure when he'll be back."

"Fine then." He hoped it really was urgent, not some petty drama with one of Kuhn's girlfriends.

"You may be underestimating the strength of the AIDA we've detected in Holy Palace," Pi said. "And there may be multiple possessions, not just one." But no, Haseo wasn't underestimating. He'd seen how quickly Alkaid was taken down. A sobering thought, but not one that could change his mind. Nor could the injuries he'd taken in that solo fight (which Atoli hadn't been around to cast healing spells on). He was good, but not good enough to be sure he'd win a chain of those.

"What choice is there? We have to get Atoli's Avatar back, and we can't use normal people. There's only-" Haseo halted mid-sentence. He'd been about to say there were only three awakened Epitaph Users, that they knew of. But that wasn't true. There were four. "Hey. Have you been keeping track of Endrance?"

"Yes. It's true that if he agreed to help, he'd be a powerful ally, but I can't imagine he'd-"

"Where is he now?" Not so long ago, Haseo thought there was no way they could get Endrance into Raven. He remembered that. But back then, there'd been no real need to recruit anyone else. Now it had to be worth a shot, at least.

"That's another problem. See for yourself." Pi turned to the nearest mirror, making some obscure gesture with both hands. The image in it clouded, and a new one began to form.

"So long as I can get there and back before the next tournament match, it's fine."

And then the mirror's image became clear. At first it was nothing special: a collection of old-fashioned buildings, shrines and ramshackle huts, gathered near a cave of grey stone under grey, cloud-choked skies. A web of strings covered the cave's mouth, sewing it shut; they were hung thickly with bells and charms, spells to imprison something. Something serious, considering how many there were. Haseo had never been to that place, but he realised where it must be.

"Don't tell me that's…"

"Indieglut Lugh. He arrived there recently. It seems like he's trying to get in, past the guards." Even as Pi spoke, a pair of men in a priest-like uniform, armed with bows and arrow quivers, walked past the cave. Haseo didn't ask if the mirrors could see inside. You didn't mess with things like that.

"Why would he want to go in?"

"Your guess is as good as mine. But if he does, we can consider him and his Avatar lost to us."

Haseo frowned. This was worse than Atoli at Morrigu Barrow. Indieglut Lugh was a realm of the dead, simple as that. They said once you stepped inside that cave you'd be lost forever, and after your flesh rotted your soul would keep wandering, never at peace. They said that sometimes things came shambling out, trying to break the wards (and that was why the guards carried bows). They said that some few people had actually wandered in and escaped alive, raving about trees made of bones and ghost-filled lakes. Those people hadn't survived long, found with mouths gaping in silent screams.

They said that if you had any damn sense, you stayed far away from Indieglut Lugh. No Chaos Gate led there, and the road was only taken by the desperate. Desperately pious or grieving, desperately reckless. Some coming to pray for the souls of the dead, some seeking knowledge or darker things (another reason the guards carried bows). Nobody went near that cave without a pressing reason.

"I'll take my steam bike," Haseo said.

* * *

><p>Endrance hadn't known it would be so difficult, to get into Indieglut Lugh. He had the strength to disable the guards and simply storm his way in, but that didn't feel right. He wanted things to be peaceful, not spoiled by noisy, angry strangers. So he was waiting, trying to figure out how to slip by unnoticed.<p>

While he waited, he'd taken a room at the settlement's only inn. The solitude of his journey had been refreshing, after Lumina Cross, but he'd forgotten how much he hated being without home comforts. Even through a haze of despair, he could appreciate hot baths and soft pillows after a few days without them. It felt strange, almost treacherous, to find enjoyment in anything, but it didn't dampen his resolve. The most vital reason to live was still absent, would forever be absent. Everything else was just brief flickers of light in the dark.

He'd booked Saku into the inn too, in a room as far away from his own as possible. He didn't want to be around her, but nevertheless she was a child, and she'd followed him out to the middle of nowhere. It wouldn't hurt, being kind to her now. Hopefully she had worried parents, who would show up soon and drag her home, so she couldn't interfere.

He supposed he should be glad, that anyone cared enough to follow him. He wondered what would have happened if it were someone different, not just a loud little girl infatuated with his arena performances. If he'd had someone left who was truly a friend. If he'd ever had a friend, besides Her...

Those thoughts felt treacherous, too. He was lucky to have connected with even one soul; he'd lived long enough to know that. Endrance might be attractive from a distance, but inside he was strange, overly sentimental and fragile. People didn't like those traits. His own family couldn't stand them. Mia was the only one who'd let him follow Her around, who looked at him honestly and never told him to go away and change his behaviour.

Would She be happy though, if he followed Her into death? Would She scold him, if they were reunited? When they were reunited. He needed to believe they would be, or he wouldn't be brave enough to go through with it.

Night was falling over this nameless settlement. Outside, the guardians of Indieglut Lugh had gathered, singing ritual prayers to banish ghosts, ringing bells whose silvery notes carried on a cool breeze. Endrance listened from his window, looking up at the stars, much brighter here than they had been in Lumina Cross (and there were charms nailed to the top of the window-frame, to keep guests safe while they slept). The shadows were darker too, especially since nothing more than a pair of flickering candles lit his room.

The shadows were moving. Endrance froze, watching as a trail of black circles slid across the wooden floor, disappearing under the door. He waited to see if they'd come back, then rose to his feet and pulled his robe tighter around himself, opening the door. The corridor beyond was silent, and empty. He took a step out, and a floorboard creaked; he withdrew, back into the room, not wanting to draw attention to himself.

It was probably nothing, his imagination. Besides, even if it wasn't nothing, what would he do about it? Nothing, of course. He wasn't good for anything.


	6. Five: Melting Hearts

**Five: Melting Hearts**

Comfort-wise, this armour wasn't the best thing to wear while speeding around for hours on a steam bike. Its presentation had taken Haseo by surprise, though. The Canard trio ambushed him just as he was leaving, talking about how they still wanted to help (and Gaspard handed him a half-full bag of cookies, in case he got hungry on the journey).

Even if he couldn't admit it out loud, that was touching. But also embarrassing; he wasn't used to thoughtful gifts. So he'd told them off for messing with his stuff, then just did as they asked and tried the armour on.

It was mended perfectly. They gave credit to a smith called Antares, who'd been excited to see such a rare piece of work. So he should be, Haseo supposed. He wouldn't normally keep a broken suit of armour stained with bad memories, but he'd won it deep in the Forest of Pain, from a pale man who didn't seem entirely human. A man who mumbled in riddles, unconcerned by the monsters and swinging blades that shared the ancient forest's gloom, guarded – or maybe kept prisoner by – a golem of red-veined stone. Amongst all that, the question of why he gave away the armour was a minor one. That was when Haseo first started making a name for himself, as the Terror of Death.

So it felt strange to be wearing it again, thanks to his friends. He never thought he'd be in a position like this. All the more reason to hurry with his mission, to make the world safer for them.

The road to Indieglut Lugh wasn't well-travelled, the bike's wheels rattling over loose, cracked paving stones, crushing an overgrowth of weeds and moss. At last he arrived in the settlement, expecting it to be as dull and quiet as the surrounding countryside, but instead found a disturbance around the cave. It wasn't as it had looked in Pi's mirror, the web of protective charms snapped. Guards clustered there, armed with bows and poleaxes, ringing bells in a hasty cleansing rite.

Haseo swore under his breath. Either something had fought its way out, or he was too late to stop Endrance going in. And given the lack of undead corpses lying around, it had to be the latter.

He doubted he'd be let through, even if he explained his reasons. And there wasn't time for that. Instead he revved the bike's engine and charged, letting the guards throw themselves aside, shouting. Cold air hit him as he sped into the cave. An arrow whipped past, another glanced off his armour. An uneven path was lit by scraps of colourless fire, clinging to frost-veined walls which seemed to soak up the bike's noises, making an eerie quiet instead of echoes.

Soon he was forced to leave the bike, for fear of crashing it, and continue on foot. For a moment he paused, struck by a belated sense of caution, knowing this was the last point he could easily turn back at. But if an Avatar couldn't save him, nothing could. Haseo hurried on, deeper into Indieglut Lugh.

"Endrance!" he called. No response. No signs of anyone else, not Endrance or a pursuit by the guards, or any other life. He didn't know what made those ghostly fires, but he'd bet it wasn't people. It wasn't people who wanted you down here.

The tunnel twisted and branched. He scraped marks on the walls to chart his path – and it looked like others had done the same before him, arrows in faded white chalk and reddish handprints on the rock. He wondered what happened to those explorers, if any of them made it out alive. Time dragged as he wandered, doubling back at dead ends or impassable pitfalls, silently cursing Endrance for choosing such a lousy hideout. This had better be worth it.

"Stop right there!"

The shrill, furious cry made Haseo jump. He spun around to see a girl striding towards him, as if this was just a midday market in Mac Anu.

"You?!"

"Don't look at me like that! What are _you_ doing here, stupid Haseo?" Saku demanded, hands on her hips. Her clothes were grubby, sleeves torn, arms and stomach wrapped clumsily in bandages. What the hell was she up to, in a place like this? Her obsession really must be limitless.

"You're following Endrance, right? Did he come this way?"

"What's it to you? You'd better not bother him again!"

"It's not like that." He held up his hands in a peacemaking gesture, which might have looked better if his gauntlets weren't claw-shaped. "I'm trying to get him out. You shouldn't be here either." Though if a kid could be running around in here, it made him feel a whole lot safer. That, or he'd started hallucinating.

"No way! I finally have him all to myself, and you're going to steal him away? No! Not gonna happen!"

"What?" Haseo frowned at her outburst. Well, she could say what she liked. He set off again, walking past her (but half-hoping she'd follow, because even if she was a pain, he didn't _really_ want her getting lost or eaten by ghouls or whatever).

"I said stop! You can't have him!" Saku snatched at Haseo's arm; he shook her off. "Master En!"

Her wail was so stricken that he paused, glancing back, and noticed bruises on her neck. Wait, not bruises. They grew as he watched, spreading over her face. She scrabbled at her bandages, ripping them away, revealing a festering mass of AIDA. Haseo stared, and Skeith stirred.

"I won't let you steal him! Never ever _ever!_"

In a hiss of icy air, the ghost-fires guttered out. Darkness was complete and instant. Then a golden glow broke through – patterns of suns and eyes outlining Saku's body. Alarmed, Haseo watched as she screamed, babbled, stamped her feet and scratched her AIDA-blemished skin, suns brightening to the full glare of a waking Avatar.

The Avatar, when it appeared, was just as frenzied. Skeith roared up in response.

The battle was brief, vicious, successful. Haseo felt the rush of Skeith's victory, when it tore the AIDA out and devoured it. When his consciousness flowed back he saw nothing at first, plunged back into blackness. Then the ghost-fires revived, giving a grey, hazy form to the girl slumped on the tunnel floor.

"Hey," he said. She looked up at him, and...something was different. Something about the way she held herself, as she slowly sat up (and not just the absence of AIDA). "Uh, Saku?"

"Haseo?" she asked drowsily, rubbing her eyes with a tattered sleeve. The way she spoke was different too, milder, exactly like the child who'd called himself Saku's brother, when they'd met before. "It's me now. Saku was so tired, she fell asleep."

"What?" So they weren't twins, but the same person? Was it a game, or something else? Haseo couldn't wrap his head around it, but...well, he could get answers later. It was hardly the most important issue right now. Even discovering that this kid was an Epitaph User wasn't most important (though Pi's reaction to the news would be priceless). "You okay, Bo? Do you know where Endrance went?"

"I think he wanted to see the Tree of the Dead. Saku was going to stop him, because it sounded dangerous, but then that black thing came into our room and I don't know what happened... Um, but I know which way to go." He clambered to his feet, brushing dirt off his clothes, and tottered away down the tunnel. Haseo followed.

A white light shone ahead, growing until they entered a vast, airy cavern. Haseo stopped, blinking in the otherworldly glow of a huge oak tree, boughs smooth as bones, overlooking a lake. Nothing cast a reflection there, save the tree itself. It was bitterly cold.

There was something lurking in that water, caged beneath those roots. He _knew_ it, in the same way he knew to recoil from fire to avoid being burned, instinctively.

He walked down to join Bo at the shore, and glimpsed movement under the tree, on the island it stood upon.

"He's there," Haseo said, in a low voice. Endrance didn't look over, showed no sign he'd noticed them. He was kneeling, examining something hidden on the ground. Tracking him down didn't feel like much of a victory, at this point.

"That's a bad place," Bo whispered, wide eyes fixed on Endrance. "Haseo, you have to help him. Bring him back."

"Yeah. You go out ahead of us. If something goes wrong…" Haseo trailed off, not sure what to say. The guardians would know how to handle it, he supposed. Sending Bo out had to be safer than keeping him here, at least. "Can you find the way? I left marks on the walls."

Bo nodded. He ran to the tunnel, glanced over his shoulder, then ran on all the faster. The sound of his footsteps quickly faded.

Left alone, Haseo drew a deep breath. He began to unbuckle his bulkiest pieces of armour, and laid them out on the ground, black against grey. He shifted from foot to foot, stretching his arms, trying to warm his muscles. Then, fighting leaden dread, he stepped into the lake.

He flinched at the cold's shock, but pushed on, knee-deep, then waist-deep, hating how loudly each splash rang out. Endrance still didn't look his way. Too deep to feel anything underfoot now; Haseo kicked out with grim determination.

He was acutely aware of the void beneath him, suffocating dark. The things that could reach up through it, how helpless he'd be to fight them. It was getting hard to keep his head above water, as if his mind weighed down his body. The distance seemed wrong, the island much further than it looked. Haseo forced those bleak thoughts away, and swam on. He had no choice. Even if the island didn't look any nearer, he knew he'd been travelling forward.

Finally, he drew close enough to swim through the tree's reflection. He shuddered, struck by a sensation like dead, clammy fingers crawling over his face...but that faded as the reflection broke, and his blood regained a measure of heat. Enough to haul himself out, onto the island, flooded with relief at the feel of solid ground supporting his body. He wasn't fooled, though. This wasn't a safe place to rest.

Now he could see what absorbed Endrance. Clawing at the soil with bare hands, scrabbling in icy dust with a single-minded fervour. And murmuring something, over and over, on breath that turned to mist as it left his lips.

"Mia? Mia, are you here…? Mia?"

Endrance was utterly dry – and so, Haseo realised, was he, though it felt as if something worse than water clung to him.

"There's nobody else here," Haseo said sternly, louder than he'd meant to.

"No, I saw her… I saw her in the lake, so I followed her…" Endrance raised his hands, turning them over in inspection as if unsure who they belonged to, why they were connected to his own wrists. His voice was faint, brittle as moths' wings. A moth hypnotised by unnatural light, about to destroy itself.

"Then that's proof. You can't see anything alive in that lake." Haseo's weariness gave way to annoyance, having come all this way only to argue over nothing. He grabbed Endrance's shoulder, pulled him away from the shallow pit he'd dug. Endrance met his eyes, blinking like a dreamer newly awoken.

"Oh, it's you… Please leave me. I want to be reunited with her…"

"I'm not leaving you to die."

"It's no use. If you drag me into the water, you can't stop me from sinking…"

"Quit talking like that! What's the matter with you?"

"I've tried for so long to honour her memories. But I'm tired… I can't find my place in this world. There's nobody who needs me anymore…" Endrance hugged his sides, the picture of melancholy. Haseo's sympathy wasn't won so easily, though. He knew what it was like to be alone and feel like crap, but if Shino had died, he wouldn't have followed her in some bizarre, supernaturally-assisted suicide. He'd still find reasons to live.

"You think I swam across that lake for the fun of it?"

"…I have no idea why you did that. It's none of your business what happens here."

"I made it my business, okay?" Haseo snapped. "What place do you even want? If this 'Mia' died, who's meant to give you one?"

"I don't know." Endrance hung his head, voice fading to a cracked whisper. "Just…"

"So what if I did? Would you come back?"

"...You?"

Haseo sighed and clambered to his feet. "Look. Forget about what happened before. Right now, I need your help."

"But…" Endrance hesitated; Haseo could practically see the cogs spinning inside his mind. Then he turned away, towards the tree, and a thin hissing voice pierced the air.

"What's that?"

"You've only just noticed? She's been talking to me this whole time," Endrance said, and reached towards the hollow he'd scraped out in the soil.

In a split-second, something burst from the ground and lunged. Its shape shifted fluidly, resembling a chain, then a cluster of grasping roots. Endrance cried out and recoiled; the roots wrapped around his wrist, looking like bloodless veins.

"Damn!" Haseo drew the only weapon he'd swum across with – one of his twin blades. It hacked through the roots, letting Endrance break free. He scrambled back, clutching his wrist, expression blank with shock.

"Into the water! Quick!"

Haseo shoved Endrance off the island, then plunged in himself, feeling the now-familiar bite of cold. "Swim!" he shouted, "Come _on!_"

Miraculously, Endrance obeyed. Haseo glanced over his shoulder; no more roots pursued them, but he wasn't letting his guard down. Then he saw what form the pursuit had taken.

The lake's surface was disturbed by their movements. The tree's reflection rippled and warped, branches stretching towards them (though the real tree hadn't changed). The logical part of Haseo's mind, the part that asked what harm a reflection could do, was overpowered by a gut feeling of _I don't want to find out_. His heart hammered, wondering if even Skeith could fight something as abstract as this, if its scythe would cut the branches and clear the waters. He wanted to call a warning, but too late. A branch touched Endrance, latching on like strands of a spiderweb. Instantly, silently, he plunged under.

Haseo was left alone, before steeling his nerves once more and diving after him.

Deathly quiet, and the water quickly became darker as it deepened, pressure building. Endrance was sinking, not held by anything Haseo could see, but making no move to save himself, gazing passively downwards. _Idiot!_ Haseo wanted to yell, but could only kick his way closer, reach out a hand, will Endrance to grab it. His lungs burned, stabs of pain making it harder to hold his breath. One taste of this water and they'd be lost, he was certain. Yet Endrance kept sinking.

_Grab my hand. It's right here, just grab it. I need you to_. Words Haseo would never have used in the past, would have stubbornly shoved aside regardless of their truth. But that was the old him. Like it or not, he couldn't beat AIDA or save the Lost Ones without help. From Canard with their goodwill and friendship, from Raven with their knowledge and skill. And…piece by piece, he was becoming okay with that. In order to help Atoli, he needed Endrance's strength in the arena, and clearly Endrance needed somebody too, another sort of strength. Might as well be Haseo, right?

Suddenly Endrance looked up, as if he'd had an epiphany of his own, and caught Haseo's hand. Their heads broke the surface, cracking a skin of ice that had formed, a final attempt to trap them. And somehow, they were almost at the shore.

They struggled out of the lake, and like before, nothing was wet. Not even the white robe Endrance wore, which should have been soaked and weighing him down (but that wasn't the reason he sank, Haseo knew). Haseo collected his armour, ignoring a small, siren-like corner of his mind which whispered to sit down, rest, get warm. He was tired, but not stupid. They needed to be gone from here.

The path out seemed different, with extra twists and forks, and a fainter, violently flickering light from the ghost-fires, casting ever-changing nets of shadow. Haseo struggled to find the marks he'd left; more than once they were forced to feel the walls, in darkness. He tried to swallow the fear of getting lost, before Indieglut Lugh could pry it out of his mind and prey on it.

After some time of this quiet, frustrated wandering, Endrance asked, "…What am I doing?"

"Huh?"

"I didn't plan to ever leave this place. What should I do, out there?"

"You follow me. I told you," Haseo said. Endrance stopped walking, apparently not satisfied. "You remember what happened in Demon Palace? That thing that possessed you, it wasn't the only one of its kind. They're spreading all over, hurting people."

"That's nothing to do with me, though..."

"Don't start that crap! You're one of the only ones that can stop them, if you tried."

"Nobody but Her ever needed me for anything…" Endrance hugged his sides, shivering. Then he looked sideways at Haseo, with an air of fading uncertainty. "But what saved me, in the end…was that you wished me to be saved."

Haseo didn't know how to reply to that. "We're nearly out," he said, and hoped it was true. They hadn't passed his steam bike, but maybe it had been retrieved by the guards. Or lost in the underworld. Damn it, he'd really liked that thing.

Finally, they glimpsed a hint of daylight at the tunnel's end. He'd never been more glad to see it, tasting air that was warmer yet fresher, promising life. They hurried forwards.

"Halt!"

He didn't often listen to yelling strangers, but when it came from a line of archers aiming straight at him, Haseo listened pretty well. He and Endrance halted at the cave mouth, broken charms and tangled strings at their feet, earth softened by a rainfall they'd missed. Even faced with new danger he was aware of those details, hovering at the edges of the normal world.

"What's going on?" Sure, they'd trespassed, but this was a bit extreme.

"Return to the depths or face destruction!" yelled an archer, the point of his arrow shifting between the two of them.

"Ah…" Endrance said, "They think we died, and became wandering ghouls."

"Why'd they think that? Do I look like a ghoul?!"

"Enough to prevent us from passing, it seems…"

"Well we can't go back!" There was no choice, was there? These guards would kill them, and be sorry for the mistake once it was too late. Haseo ducked sideways in a flash of desperate speed. The archers were quicker.

But Endrance was quicker still, violet Avatar Patterns flashing around him. A storm of rose petals swept in from nowhere, a barrier of Macha's that slowed the arrows' flights, sent them spinning off course.

"Stop!" A frantic shout, followed by a roar of magic. The earth cracked open under the archers, knocking them off their feet, and in the chaos of flying dirt and petals Haseo snatched his chance. He ran, trusting Endrance to follow, shoving between the scattered ranks, heading for cover.

They made it to the nearest building. Around the back, over fencing and past twisted trees, ducking into a cobweb-filled shed to catch their breath. A stray arrow had pierced Endrance's arm, blood spreading a slow stain over his sleeve, but he bore it without complaints, perfectly calm. There was still fighting spirit, under the self-pity and apathy.

"We can't stay here long. I'd rather not fight my way out, though."

"At least they don't have steam guns…"

"I got here by bike, but it-" Haseo halted mid-sentence, raising his hand in a warning as they heard footsteps approach. Just one set. He crept to the side of the door, ready to ambush whoever came into the shed, to stop them raising an alarm.

He wasn't expecting a small, fair-haired kid in grubby clothes, striped stockings with holes at the knees. So that's who set off the earth-splitting spell. Initially Haseo couldn't tell which personality was in charge, but he wasn't left in doubt long. Saku scowled and kicked him in the shins.

"Ow! What the hell?" he whispered, trying to sound annoyed without being loud. Not that it really hurt, through his armour.

"You took forever in there! And you're a coward, hiding behind Master En!"

"But I didn't…ugh, whatever."

Saku's expression brightened when she looked up at Endrance. "Master En, are you okay? Those jerks, shooting at you like that. Let's get out of here!"

"What about the archers?"

"Don't worry, I put everyone to sleep," she said, with an unconcerned flick of her hand. Scary kid. That did explain how _she'd_ left the cave without getting shot, though. "But it wears off fast. C'mon, we have to get you fixed up!"

Endrance gave an absent-minded nod, clasping the wound. And with that, Saku dragged them away from the chills of Indieglut Lugh, the unnatural lake and overzealous guardians, into the domain of the living. Haseo didn't look back.


End file.
